Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-04
TROTTER,S CONFIRMATION.
A Surprise Inside and Outside the SEN.
ate Chamber
THE TWO MASSACHUSETTS SENATORS URGE FAVOR
ABLE ACTION, AND ARE SUCCESSFUL

THE TWO MASSACHUSETTS SENATORS URGE FAVOR
ABLE ACTION, AND ARE SUCCESSFUL
When 1t became known few minutes after the
executive session this morning that the nominal
ton OF James NJ Trotter for recorder OF deeds Of
the District had been confirmed, universal sur
prise was expressed outside the Senate chamber,
and even some OF the Senators admitted that the
result astonished them. 1t had been assumed that
the adverse action OF the District committee.
based upon the same grounds that led to the
rejection Of Matthews, would be affirmed by the
Senate. Some Of the Senators were free to express
the opinion that Mr.. Trotter would be rejected
when inquiries were made Of them and general
belief that he was destined to share the fate OF
Matthews was created.
Mr.. Hoar moved the executive session and the
case Of MT Iroster was ne 1a Ianun
had acted upon and reported the nomination,
spoke briefly against confirmation. MI. Blackburn
also urged the rejection OF Mr.. Trotter. MessrS
ingalls, and Blackburn maintained that the ap-
pO1ntment was
AN INSULT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE DISTRICT,
and that 1t was an attempt, in view OF Its recent
action to coerce the Senate. They briefly reviewed
the history OF the Matthews case and the reasons
for the rejection Of that nomination, and declared
that even stronger reasons prevailed for the reJec-
ton of Trotter than existed for the rejection Of
able to the people here than was Matthews, be.
cause Che latter was personal acquaintance OF
the President, while nobody seemed TO youcn Tor
TrOtter that not single voice In this Dlstflct-
not one OF the people whose interests are at
had been heard in favor OF this appointment; on
Of and The people e % Of the district We're entitled
TO protection from an appointment SO repugnant
to them.
Mr.. Harris advocated confirmation. He said the
President mad right to appoint any reputaOie GU,
1Zen to this Office it had never been CONSIDERED
local Office, as was shown by the fact that as a
rule the tncumbents had been nOn-reSidents.
Mr.. Harris DprgOnallY ACQUAINTED With Mr.
Trotter, out ne was sure OF his aDlnty anu gooo
THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR'S.
Mr.. Hoar spoke OF the high character OF the non1-
nee. He said that wherever Mr.. Trotter was
known he was esteemed as man Of ability and
integrity. He had received letters from scores Of
the best people of Massachusetts,, commencing the
appointment n,s lauding Mr. aToster and ug
tinued Mr.. Hoar, that the President was
determined es mined to appoint nonresident ; TO
purpose by sending in the name OF Mr.. TrOtter
after Mr.. Matthews had been rejected on the
ground that he was a nonresident. The nominal
ton ought not to be rejected to crafty the Keeling
OF hostility OF the people OF the District. The Sem
ate In behalf Of local sentiment had entered its
Nonresident, but the President persisted in select
ing non-resident-which he had the right to do
and In having entered its protest the senate had
Mt: Dawes lauded Mr. Trotter as a man well
qualified for the position and urged his conf1rma-
ton.
On yea and nay vote he was confirmed.
WHAT INFLUENCED SOME REPUBLICAN SENATOR'S
Some OF the republican Senators were Influenced
to vote for confirmation in the belief that the APP
pointment was made with the view Of its being re-
jected and OF using the rejection for political pur
poses. This was the conviction OF quite number
OF the republicans.
THIRTY TO RLEvEN.
The vote stood 80 in favor OF confirmation to IL
against. Only three republican Senators voted
agains. confirmation. They were Messrs. ingalls,,
Palmer and Sabin. The democrats were divided,
but some Of them did not vote at all.
HOW THE CHANGE WAS BROUGHT ABOUT.
When Matthews was first rejected, Mr.. Van
Wyck was the only republican who voted for him,
and to-day in the Trotter case that side OF the
chamber voted almost unanimously for confirma-
ton. But 1t Is an open secret that not few OF
them were Influenced by the conviction that the
appointment was not made in good faith, and that
the President wanted it rejected. Republican Sen
ators who held this belief labOred diligently but
quietly with their party associates during last
night to bring about the confirmation OF Trotter.
WHAT THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAYS.
An Associated Press dispatch from this city says
OF the action OF the Senate: There seems to have
been very little contest in the Senate over the con-
firmation Of James NJ. Trotter, the cOored noni-
nee to the Office OF recorder OF deeds OF the District
been or Is TO be expected on the subject The
action OF the body, though apparently inconsistent
with the principles e0unc1aJe0 In connection With
the Matthews case upon the heels of which it SO
closely follows, is explained In variety OF ways.
Mr.. Trotter came, it Is urged. with an excellent
record as an ex-union soldier which, with the
Senate, counts much. No charge was made against
him, as was the case with Matthews, either OF q
business or political nature, and there was nothing
TO be said In his opposition beyond the fact that
he Is an alien to the District. Upon this point, so
strongly urged in the Matthews case, il Is said that
the Senate has made record Of its principles
having pronounced itself emphatically in favor OF
the selection OF q District man for purely local
Office.